License Plate Light Bulb Issue

[Texmac1011]

I have an aftermarket license plate light (generic from O'Reilly's - broke mine) that burns out the bulb about every 3 or 4 days, best I can tell. It had a dual element 1157 in it. The light element breaks and, what I assume would be the brake light element is fine ( the light is not wired for brakes). The fuse and other lights on the fuse are fine.

A little while back I had a short that was blowing my fuse and causing all kinds of VSS, Limp Mode, etc. issues. I took it to my dealer and he fixed that problem, but now I have this one. Before taking it back to the dealer, I thought I might find the answer(s) here.

Do you think I am using the wrong bulb for this application?
Possibly another short somewhere?
Gremlins invaded my bike?

Thanks

 

[freebob]

Sounds like you may have light wired to the brake lite side of bulb,
That would be like having brake on continually which is a brighter filament in bulb and constant heat would burn out filament rapidly...

Freebob...:doorag:

 

[boborgera]

:dontknow:You might have more luck with a 2057?

 

[NancysToy]

Sounds like you may have light wired to the brake lite side of bulb,
That would be like having brake on continually which is a brighter filament in bulb and constant heat would burn out filament rapidly...

Freebob...:doorag:

There is no brake light wiring to the license plate light on an RS. Probably a vibration problem, combined with the bulb type/orientation. We'd have to know the number of the current bulb to be able to determine if there is a heavy duty replacement or LED available.

 

[Texmac1011]

I understand what Freebob is saying. The light I have can be wired for brakes, also (looking ahead, I thought I may wire the brakes to this light).

Assuming that it makes a difference in the filaments, if the dealer removed and re-installed the light, he may have hooked the power wire to the brake light wire on the light instead of the running light side.

The current bulb is an 1157 dual element bulb.

Can I be fairly confident that it is not a wire shorting out? I would think if that were the case, then the fuse would blow.

 

[NancysToy]

I understand what Freebob is saying. The light I have can be wired for brakes, also (looking ahead, I thought I may wire the brakes to this light).

Assuming that it makes a difference in the filaments, if the dealer removed and re-installed the light, he may have hooked the power wire to the brake light wire on the light instead of the running light side.

The current bulb is an 1157 dual element bulb.

Can I be fairly confident that it is not a wire shorting out? I would think if that were the case, then the fuse would blow.

If the light lights (with a good bulb) and the fuse doesn't blow, there is likely no short. A short is unlikely to blow the bulb, anyway. A dual filament bulb could, indeed, be connected to the wrong filament. Using the brighter brake filament would make it burn out quickly. The brake filament burns hotter, and is only intended for intermittent use, so it will fail quickly when on continuously. A 2057 bulb is tougher, but will do the same thing, in time. An LED bulb should hold up well in either case. Check the wiring first, then consider bulb replacement. Easy to add a brake light back there. Just run an extra wire down from the brake circuit in the tail. I wired Nancy's HyperLites for both functions that way.

 

[napper39]

it sounds like you should get a single filement bulg thats all you need back there .maby the bulb out of the light you replaced would work.:thumbup:

 

[freebob]

If the light lights (with a good bulb) and the fuse doesn't blow, there is likely no short. A short is unlikely to blow the bulb, anyway. A dual filament bulb could, indeed, be connected to the wrong filament. Using the brighter brake filament would make it burn out quickly. The brake filament burns hotter, and is only intended for intermittent use, so it will fail quickly when on continuously. A 2057 bulb is tougher, but will do the same thing, in time. An LED bulb should hold up well in either case. Check the wiring first, then consider bulb replacement. Easy to add a brake light back there. Just run an extra wire down from the brake circuit in the tail. I wired Nancy's HyperLites for both functions that way.

That is what I was saying in fewer words...Lite replacement he has is a running and brake lite, Just connected to wrong wire, Easy check brake side will be brighter than running lite side of bulb filament.....:gaah:

Freebob...:doorag:

 

[Dragon Snake]

That is what I was saying in fewer words...Lite replacement he has is a running and brake lite, Just connected to wrong wire, Easy check brake side will be brighter than running lite side of bulb filament.....:gaah:

Freebob...:doorag:

Just check the bulb when it's lit. If the thick filimet is lit you are on the brake side of the bulb. I think it is a vibration problem. Go with motorcycle type bulb that resists the vibes.

 

[Texmac1011]

Well, upon further review, i am full of mis-information. My light has only 2 wires, red and black. My bike has 2 wires, red and black. Therefore, I think I need a different bulb. The 1157 I have in there has 2 filaments. The thin filament is the one lighting up and then burning out. The thick filament doesn't light. Red on red or red on black wires, it doesn't matter. Same filament lights up.

I bought a single element bulb the same size as the 1157 and tried it, but the pins on the side are in different locations. It looks like I need a single element, sturdier bulb (that fits).

 

[freebob]

Well, upon further review, i am full of mis-information. My light has only 2 wires, red and black. My bike has 2 wires, red and black. Therefore, I think I need a different bulb. The 1157 I have in there has 2 filaments. The thin filament is the one lighting up and then burning out. The thick filament doesn't light. Red on red or red on black wires, it doesn't matter. Same filament lights up.

I bought a single element bulb the same size as the 1157 and tried it, but the pins on the side are in different locations. It looks like I need a single element, sturdier bulb (that fits).

I replaced my tail light on my RS with a tail/brake light also and it had 3 wires red/brn for bulb and wht for grnd that I attached to back plate of light for grnd. that grounded it to bike and tapped into bike brake lite wire
for brake lite. The blk wire on spyder is grnd on/for orig tail lite. New light used a 1157 or 2057 bulb latter being slightly higher wattage bulb. Misinformation could be how you interpret it. Your new light might just use back plate for grnd.

Freebob...:doorag:

 

[boborgera]

Well, upon further review, i am full of mis-information. My light has only 2 wires, red and black. My bike has 2 wires, red and black. Therefore, I think I need a different bulb. The 1157 I have in there has 2 filaments. The thin filament is the one lighting up and then burning out. The thick filament doesn't light. Red on red or red on black wires, it doesn't matter. Same filament lights up.

I bought a single element bulb the same size as the 1157 and tried it, but the pins on the side are in different locations. It looks like I need a single element, sturdier bulb (that fits).

:dontknow:
I switched the 1157's on my trailer to 2057's The bouncing of the trailer would brake the filaments on the 1157's The 2057 are heavy duty.
Also make sure the socket and lens box are tight and not shaking the bulb. [filament]

 

[Texmac1011]

I am usually my own worst enemy..........

It takes me a while, but eventually I figure things out. My aftermarket light has 2 hot wires, 1 for the running light and 1 for the brake light. The ground is the light body. This has been my whole problem - NOT READING ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS!

Once I found this out, I attached the black ground wire from the bike to the light body and the orange wire to the running light wire. I rode 30 minutes and the bulb filament (2057 bulb) was broke. Went home and attached the orange wire to the brake light side of the light and all has been well. Apparently, this filament is a little tougher. Though with it burning so hot constantly I don't think it will last long.

I think if I get an LED bulb, I can run the lower wattage side without breaking the bulb. The brake light side is kind of bright. It looks like I have my brakes on all the time. Although, this may keep people from getting to close.

Thanks for everyone's help.